At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | John the apostle "beloved disciple" (traditional); critical alternative: Johannine community |
| Date | ~85-95 AD (possibly latest Gospel) |
| Audience | Broad Christian + non-Christian readers |
| Genre | Gospel, distinctive theological-meditative |
| Purpose | "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (Jhn.20.31) |
| Chapters | 21 |
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue | 1:1-18 | Logos hymn |
| Book of Signs | 1:19-12:50 | 7 signs + extensive discourses |
| Book of Glory | 13-21 | Last Supper + cross + resurrection + epilogue |
Seven signs
| Sign | Chapter |
|---|---|
| Water to wine | 2 |
| Official's son healed | 4 |
| Lame man at pool | 5 |
| Feeding 5000 | 6 |
| Walking on water | 6 |
| Man born blind healed | 9 |
| Lazarus raised | 11 |
"I AM" sayings
| Saying | Reference |
|---|---|
| "I am the bread of life" | Jhn.6.35 |
| "I am the light of the world" | Jhn.8.12 |
| "I am the door" | Jhn.10.9 |
| "I am the good shepherd" | Jhn.10.11 |
| "I am the resurrection and the life" | Jhn.11.25 |
| "I am the way, the truth, and the life" | Jhn.14.6 |
| "I am the true vine" | Jhn.15.1 |
Plus absolute "I AM" (Jhn.8.58; 18:5-6), divine identity claim.
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Deity of Christ | Jhn.1.1; 1:14, 18; 20:28; high Christology throughout |
| Eternal life | "Life" / "eternal life" major themes |
| Belief | "Believe" used ~100 times |
| Word / Logos | Cosmic prologue |
| Glory | Manifest in incarnation + signs + cross + resurrection |
| Spirit | Extensive Spirit teaching (Jhn.14-16) |
Key passages
- Jhn.1.1-18, Word + prologue
- Jhn.3.16, God so loved
- Jhn.4, Samaritan woman
- Jhn.6, bread of life
- Jhn.10, Good Shepherd
- Jhn.11, Lazarus
- Jhn.13-17, Upper Room discourse + High Priestly prayer
- Jhn.20.28, Thomas's confession
- Jhn.20.31, purpose statement
- Jhn.21, Peter's restoration